First, I want to say that I'm no physician nor anything like that so if someone find that my statements are incorrect I would gladly receive their enlightnments as I know they are not foolproof by a long shot 
This post is based upon a simple idea: what mean the damage formulas when applied to a destructive energy ? Couldn't it help manipulate the numbers to understand that ?
So I tried to come up with explanations, here is what seems apt from the little I know about physics.
NB: For in-game mechanics the point is to take a XdY equation and to understand what is X and what is Y in a IRL setting, X being the number of dice used and Y the kind of dice used, so I take them as standard names for the two variables.
FIRE
This name is improper as the fire is only the visual manifestation of the combustion.
Depending of the temperature and the creature/item the effects can be greatly different.
About X: size of the fire, or rather size of the body part that is in contact with the fire, going (for a human) from a little part (1d) to total immersion (20d)
It must be said that the subject's size should be considered closely in these cases but that the number of dice should be based upon the volume of material immersed in fire, and not about the percentage of the total body.
About Y: temperature of the fire, the more sensible adaptation seems to be d1 for 100° C (not Farenheit), d2 for 200° C, and so on.
Even if it's virtually unlimited it must be said for comparison that lava temperature usually range from 400° to 1200° C and that the heart of our sun is around 15.000.000° C.
Option: Fire, or rather heat, can be used to deal subdual damage too, depending of the targets.
When speaking about humans/elves/dwarves and others, consider that the temperature under 100° C deals:
-d10 of subdual damage for 90°/100°;
-d8 for 80°/90°;
-d6 for 70°/80°;
-d4 for 60°/70°;
-d2 for 50°/60°.
Of course, drink often and other actions from the characters can change the situation, and things like sunburns can apply.
COLD
Exactly the same thing as fire but the other way around.
Remember that Ice is only a liquid that had been frozen, and the only cold damage it can deal are the one it emits, frozen water shaped as a sword will deal slashing damages (without considering the temperature itself).
About X: as with fire it's based upon the area in contact with cold material.
The same parameters should be applied to size too.
About Y: idem, but depending of the subjects the effects can change.
A -50° C temperature will be deadlier than a +50° C for humans.
Option: the same things as with fire apply here too, if you remember what is said above about the lethal characteristic of cold.
ACID
Acids are chemicals that make materials lose their structural integrity, they can be liquid, gazeous (vapor) and solid.
About X: the same thing as with fire and cold, it's based upon the area of contact.
About Y: this one is based upon the PH of the acid, basicaly the lower is the PH the higher is the dice.
Where citric acid (lemon juice) can be considered as a d1 (and only for sensitive parts, as eyes), sulfuric or chlorhydric acids are much more dangerous and should be given a d10 or d12.
Option: the effects of a kind of acid can change dramaticaly from one material to another, even if I'm not so sure about them being able to deal subdual damage.
If soda can eat at copper like a monkey in a peanuts factory, you can drink gallons and gallons of it without a problem (beside overworking your liver and being high on sugar, but that's not the point).
ELECTRICITY
Energy discharged during the physical travel of charged particles between two areas.
About X: as before it depends of the quantity that is dealt to the subject, even if it seems to not be based upon a volume, as electricity seems to be able of being "condensed" in a smaller area.
About Y: broadly spoken, it is a question of volt, the higher the voltage, the bigger the dice.
Option: subdual damage can be dealt by this way too.
The idea is to put no Amper at all, or close to nothing, the target would get a shock but no lasting damage, modern tasers are based upon this concept.
SOUND
Sound is a variation in the atmospheric pressure, a "wave" that momentarily displace air/water/solid particles by going through them.
Why it is not considered as physical bashing damage is beyond me, but do you understand wizards' way of thinking ?
Me never.
About X: it's the volume, calculated in decibels.
I think it does not need a lot of explanations here.
About Y: it's the frequency, calculated in hertz.
The theory behind damaging a creature/object with sound has nothing to do with hearing in the first place (if it does they should explain why deaf creatures can take the damage).
Everything vibrate accordingly to a certain rythm, when you get the good frequency you can create a disruption that will dislocate the structure of the target.
You do not attack the hearing of the target, you attack it's basic physical integrity.
Option: the frequency and its effects can vary tremendously from one target to another depending of what material it is made of, it even can be used to deal subdual damage.
Plus, some creatures using hearing can see this capacity being impaired or destroyed by sound.
Here you go, perhaps it isn't right on the spot at the physics level but I tried my best.
This post is based upon a simple idea: what mean the damage formulas when applied to a destructive energy ? Couldn't it help manipulate the numbers to understand that ?
So I tried to come up with explanations, here is what seems apt from the little I know about physics.
NB: For in-game mechanics the point is to take a XdY equation and to understand what is X and what is Y in a IRL setting, X being the number of dice used and Y the kind of dice used, so I take them as standard names for the two variables.
FIRE
This name is improper as the fire is only the visual manifestation of the combustion.
Depending of the temperature and the creature/item the effects can be greatly different.
About X: size of the fire, or rather size of the body part that is in contact with the fire, going (for a human) from a little part (1d) to total immersion (20d)
It must be said that the subject's size should be considered closely in these cases but that the number of dice should be based upon the volume of material immersed in fire, and not about the percentage of the total body.
About Y: temperature of the fire, the more sensible adaptation seems to be d1 for 100° C (not Farenheit), d2 for 200° C, and so on.
Even if it's virtually unlimited it must be said for comparison that lava temperature usually range from 400° to 1200° C and that the heart of our sun is around 15.000.000° C.
Option: Fire, or rather heat, can be used to deal subdual damage too, depending of the targets.
When speaking about humans/elves/dwarves and others, consider that the temperature under 100° C deals:
-d10 of subdual damage for 90°/100°;
-d8 for 80°/90°;
-d6 for 70°/80°;
-d4 for 60°/70°;
-d2 for 50°/60°.
Of course, drink often and other actions from the characters can change the situation, and things like sunburns can apply.
COLD
Exactly the same thing as fire but the other way around.
Remember that Ice is only a liquid that had been frozen, and the only cold damage it can deal are the one it emits, frozen water shaped as a sword will deal slashing damages (without considering the temperature itself).
About X: as with fire it's based upon the area in contact with cold material.
The same parameters should be applied to size too.
About Y: idem, but depending of the subjects the effects can change.
A -50° C temperature will be deadlier than a +50° C for humans.
Option: the same things as with fire apply here too, if you remember what is said above about the lethal characteristic of cold.
ACID
Acids are chemicals that make materials lose their structural integrity, they can be liquid, gazeous (vapor) and solid.
About X: the same thing as with fire and cold, it's based upon the area of contact.
About Y: this one is based upon the PH of the acid, basicaly the lower is the PH the higher is the dice.
Where citric acid (lemon juice) can be considered as a d1 (and only for sensitive parts, as eyes), sulfuric or chlorhydric acids are much more dangerous and should be given a d10 or d12.
Option: the effects of a kind of acid can change dramaticaly from one material to another, even if I'm not so sure about them being able to deal subdual damage.
If soda can eat at copper like a monkey in a peanuts factory, you can drink gallons and gallons of it without a problem (beside overworking your liver and being high on sugar, but that's not the point).
ELECTRICITY
Energy discharged during the physical travel of charged particles between two areas.
About X: as before it depends of the quantity that is dealt to the subject, even if it seems to not be based upon a volume, as electricity seems to be able of being "condensed" in a smaller area.
About Y: broadly spoken, it is a question of volt, the higher the voltage, the bigger the dice.
Option: subdual damage can be dealt by this way too.
The idea is to put no Amper at all, or close to nothing, the target would get a shock but no lasting damage, modern tasers are based upon this concept.
SOUND
Sound is a variation in the atmospheric pressure, a "wave" that momentarily displace air/water/solid particles by going through them.
Why it is not considered as physical bashing damage is beyond me, but do you understand wizards' way of thinking ?
Me never.
About X: it's the volume, calculated in decibels.
I think it does not need a lot of explanations here.
About Y: it's the frequency, calculated in hertz.
The theory behind damaging a creature/object with sound has nothing to do with hearing in the first place (if it does they should explain why deaf creatures can take the damage).
Everything vibrate accordingly to a certain rythm, when you get the good frequency you can create a disruption that will dislocate the structure of the target.
You do not attack the hearing of the target, you attack it's basic physical integrity.
Option: the frequency and its effects can vary tremendously from one target to another depending of what material it is made of, it even can be used to deal subdual damage.
Plus, some creatures using hearing can see this capacity being impaired or destroyed by sound.
Here you go, perhaps it isn't right on the spot at the physics level but I tried my best.
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